Our History

Children from across Canada benefiting from the specialized services provided at the Stollery Children's Hospital.

2001 marks the official beginning of the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. But it was a long journey reaching this point, with generations of concerned and generous citizens paving the way to ensure the best pediatric care in our region.

Our story begins in 1978, when the Northern Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation was established to advocate for a children's hospital in Edmonton. In 1992, the name was changed to the Children's Health Foundation of Northern Alberta to more accurately reflect the role of the Foundation in raising funds to support the regional Child Health program.

The next seven years saw the Foundation's work touch the lives of a greater diversity of children than ever before, with kids from across Canada benefiting from the Child Health program's specialized services. It was during this time that Bob and Shirley Stollery provided a generous donation that would be the catalyst for a dedicated children's hospital.

The Stollery donation was complemented by the Children's Health Foundation's launch of a successful capital campaign that raised more than $10 million towards the construction of a children's hospital in Edmonton. In order to minimize the significant overhead costs associated with the operation and maintenance of a free-standing hospital, the facility was constructed within the existing walls of the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre, sharing space with the University of Alberta Hospital.

The Stollery Children's Hospital opened in October of 2001.In honour of the Stollery family who played a major role in making the Hospital everything it is today, the Children's Health Foundation changed its name to the Stollery Children's Hospital Foundation. We continue to be dedicated to supporting the needs of the Stollery Children's Hospital.